Adopting a cat?

Ah, cats….

They’re the stars of the internet and hold a special place in hearts all over the world.

Get the following points right and you’ll reap the rewards of a wonderful and fulfilling relationship:

Coat Type:

Would you like your cat to be sleek and slim, or fluffy and puffy?

• Shorthaired breeds tend to require less grooming then longhaired breeds.
• A special cat breed called a ‘Sphynx’ is completely hairless!
• Longhaired breeds can be spectacularly beautiful but will absolutely require daily grooming.
• Some longhaired breeds shed much more vigorously than other longhaired breeds (for example, Persian cats shed more than Ragdoll cats).
• If someone in your household tends to suffer from allergy problems, a longhaired breed of any sort probably won’t be the best choice.
• Longhaired cats who require body-clipping or lengthy brushing and knot removal generally require a light anaesthetic each time.

Personality:

Though there will always be personality differences between individual cats within a specific breed, each breed, on the whole, does offer distinct personality traits. In fact, there are many breed-specific traits that you’ll want to take into consideration:

• Some breeds are much better with children than others.
• Some will get along better with other household pets.
• Some will prefer to be the only cat in the household, while others will long for a kitty companion.

It is common to not necessarily think about cat personality traits (most people consider this more of a ‘dog thing’).

Some cat breeds (such as the Bengal or Siamese) can be particularly demanding and may not suit ‘first timers’.

Health Concerns:

Moggies can make great pets – You’ll likely spend a lot less cash in acquiring one, and he or she may be much less vulnerable to genetic problems (due to breeding within a larger gene pool) for which purebred cats must be carefully screened.

Certain cat breeds can be predisposed to heart, kidney, joint, skin, dental or behavioural issues.